WAYNE ROONEY has paid tribute to Louis van Gaal’s attention to detail and man-management skills for transforming the fortunes of Manchester United and Marouane Fellaini.

Rooney revealed that Van Gaal tailors the squad’s training and preparation for matches to capitalise on opponents’ weaknesses, with Fellaini a key figure in his battle plans.

That was the case in Sunday’s Manchester derby when United punished City’s failure to track runners from midfield – a weakness they identified in the build-up to the game – with goals from winger Ashley Young, midfielders Fellaini and Juan Mata, and defender Chris Smalling.

Rooney said: “We have got players who can score goals from midfield and we felt that was going to win us the game, and it proved to be.

“We know some City players are not the best at tracking back and defending and we felt we could make them pay for that, and we did.

“We said earlier on in the season that we were working on things and it was going to take time. It is starting to show now the training we have been putting in. We have been working really hard.

“Each game is different and we have been training for each game in a different way depending on how the opposition plays. There is no detail left unturned. We have been prepared really well.”

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Marouane Fellaini celebrates giving United the lead in the Manchester derby

Fellaini has been the biggest revelation of Van Gaal’s reign. Booed by United fans in a pre-season friendly after a poor debut campaign at Old Trafford, he was given a standing ovation when he came off near the end on Sunday.

Rooney says the transformation is down to Van Gaal giving the Belgium international confidence and playing him in his best position, as an attacking midfielder, as well as his own strength of character to justify his £27.5m transfer fee.

“He is being used in the right way by the manager,” said Rooney. “And he is repaying the manager with goals and good performances.

“We like to play out from the back but if teams are pressing us then we have him as an option. He is big, strong and difficult for defenders to mark. He is probably the best in world football at bringing the ball down and getting us out of that pressure and further up the pitch.

“Last year was awful for him but he kept his head down, worked hard and came through that tough period. He is showing now what he did at Everton and why Manchester United bought him. He is a quality player. He is a different option for us. It is starting to show on the pitch.

“It was tough for him but he had the whole team’s support. We knew he was working hard and it wasn’t just him who was struggling last season, a lot of us were. He was just the one who took most of the blame for it. It was hard for him. Thankfully the manager has shown faith in him.”

We could see in training sessions the quality we were showing and it was a case of getting that into the games

Wayne Rooney

Earlier this season Van Gaal feared his demanding training methods were proving too taxing, physically and mentally, for his players.

But Rooney says all the hard work is now paying off with the derby triumph stretching United’s winning run in the Premier League to six games to strengthen the club’s hopes of a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League next season.

Significantly, since their defeat in the first derby in early November, United have been beaten only twice in 22 League games.

“I’ve always believed we were getting it right,” added Rooney. “We could see in training sessions the quality we were showing and it was a case of getting that into the games.

“Last season was a tough season for us and we had to overcome that and there was also new players coming in so we knew it would take time. It is starting to pay off now. We are starting to show what we can do.

“We are playing nice football and winning games but we are still a work in progress. We are still learning. It is great how things are going but we have to continue that to the end of the season and finish as high as we can and take that into next season.”

United face their biggest test yet on Saturday with a visit to leaders Chelsea, but Rooney believes they could not be going there in better shape.